I hope all of my lovely readers enjoy the holiday! Fourth of July traditions at our house: queso and margaritas, watching Wimbledon, and trying to avoid the crowds. This year Nashville’s fireworks display is supposed to be the country’s largest, and we plan to avoid downtown at all costs.

This is Willie’s first Fourth of July (he just turned one year old) and he’s already decided this is his least favorite holiday. His nerves are completely shot. The other night one of our neighbors was setting off fireworks in their backyard while I was walking the dog and he nearly took my hand off when he bolted.

Last night the private Christian college down the street from us had their annual fireworks display. We usually forget about it until we see a few sparkles high above a huge stand of trees across the street from our house. So this year we decided to set up some lawnchairs in front of campus and watch the display. Let me tell you: we were so close to the action, we could see the stuff coming out of their charges on the ground. When I asked a security guard if it was safe to be this close to where the fireworks were deployed he answered, “This ground has been blessed by Jesus!” Alrighty, then. Well, we survived.

I snapped a quickie video for y’all. Enjoy, be safe, don’t drink and drive, keep the pets indoors, and remember: no celebratory gunfire!

Poor Willie! Our local fireworks were Wednesday night, about two miles away from me, downhill at the edge of Cayuga Lake. I kinda noticed them starting, but really noticed while I was brushing my teeth and suddenly had dog uo my butt!

Tonight should be quiet. Fireworks are illegal in NYS, and none of my neighbors are likely to drive an hour into PA to get some.

I was going to ask you anyway, but your post makes it more topical. Are TN’s laws on fireworks as stupid as the ones on firearms?

Catherine D.

Come to Oswego for Harborfest and see the Grucci Bros. show. It’s always a good one and, yes, the traffic’s horrendous.

I was about to send Southern Beale one of the photos I took in 2012 until I realized that there’s no way to watermark it without having numerous people I don’t get along with from finding me. One of these days I’ll get around to putting them on FotoMoto and folks can BUY them–yes, they are that good.

I don’t really know what our fireworks laws are because doing my own at home isn’t my thing. Seems like all the fireworks retailers are down at the border of states like Georgia and have names like “Nervous Charlie’s.” I always wondered why that is.

So Mr. Beale made some queso out of melted muenster cheese and salsa. It’s so nasty, you guys. But the margaritas are awesome.

Most of the urban centers in TN are illegal to sell fireworks or shoot off fireworks. For instance, you cannot buy fireworks in Nashville. So the retailers set up in tents just outside Davidson county and sell them there. Similar situation here in Memphis except there is one permanent store that was grandfathered in and is allowed to sell fireworks throughout the year. My brother usually works a stand every year for a friend of his and makes pretty good money for a week and a half worth of work. You technically can get in trouble for shooting off the fireworks inside the city, but in reality you are usually just told to stop if someone calls the cops and complains.

I was in Nashville for the 4th this year and we ventured out to watch the downtown show. Things started off well enough with the weather being rather cool for July. It did start raining later in the evening, but the fireworks went off without a hitch and the display was really good this year.

Did not see Tom Cruise and did not hear about the shooting until I read it here. I was actually pretty close to the 1st Avenue and Korean Veterans shooting. We were at 1st across from the new outdoor theater watching from a covered loading dock while trying to stay out of the rain. i think Korean Veterans would have been about 2 blocks south of us.